A Light List

Here is a little list of lighting tips for shooting video inside and out. (Thanks to AdvanceHD.com for the help with this one.)

1. Inside-Make sure there are no huge windows behind the subject when you are shooting. Natural light from windows is great, but make sure they are behind you, not the person or people you are shooting.

2. Inside-Even when you have light from the windows, turn on the lights in the room. The more light the better. What may seem like too much light for you eyes will be perfect for the camera.

3. Inside-Now you're thinking you are going shopping for a light that mounts on top of your video camera (in TV we call them "sun guns"). Its probably not necessary, you would have to spend a lot of money to get one that actually threw enough light to make a difference.

4. Inside-If you are planning on creating a masterpiece movie of you're family's annual talent contest, you may consider purchasing a small light kit, for a few hundred dollars. With a little practice you, too, could have Oscar worthy lighting.

5. Outside Daytime-The biggest light source in movie making is up in the sky, take advantage of it. Just like windows, you would prefer not to have the sun behind your subject. And just like still photography, you want to avoid having it directly in their eyes.

6. Outside Nighttime-Its dark! Its going to be difficult to find enough light to make a good shot. Look for the brightest place to shoot, and do your best. Think of this as an artistic opportunity.

7. Some cameras have a "nightshot" switch, which gives you a funky, military looking shot that reminds me of CNN footage during the Gulf War. It can work for certain circumstances, like getting a cool shot of your kids sleeping without waking them up with bright light.

8. One more thing. The less light you have, the more stable your shot needs to be. If you must shoot in low light, hold the camera steady, refrain from zooming and choose to slowly walk in to get a closer shot. The fewer camera moves the better in dark conditions.

Now go out there and find the light, people.